Artist
Betty Kim
@bettykimillust
Betty Kim (ë² í‹° ê¹€) is an Illustrator & Animator who explores the narratives and stories of people; dealing with themes such as identity and human psychology through animations and illustrations. She likes to portray a sense of rawness and honesty in her work by conveying emotions through the use of colour and capturing a sense of movement through mark-making and rough pencil-like brush strokes.
Q1. What inspires the artist?
Betty is inspired by a variety of sources, namely: nature, especially the sea; films and stories dealing with human psychology; and philosophical themes addressing questions of identity, truth, and the human condition. She incorporates scenes from films and the faces of characters and actors, which serve as visual motifs and archetypes in her work. Through the art of projection, she explores the narratives and stories of people as part of an ongoing investigation into understanding and questioning what it means to be human. In these films or dramas, music is a powerful source of sensory inspiration and a motivator in the expression of emotion in her work.
Q2. What does being a female artist mean?
Betty approaches femininity from a Jungian perspective, recognizing that being a female is something she hasn’t always been great at embracing—namely active receptivity and acceptance—but her identity as an artist has helped her reconcile and truly connect with her female self. This is especially the case with how she processes emotions, which she is continuously learning to embrace and grow confident in. Art encompasses creativity, play, and provides a safe space for self-acceptance, emphasizing a state of being rather than doing, which postulates her feminine energy. Through creative expression, she manifests and explores this part of her identity.
Q3. How does Korean culture influence artist's art?
Betty, a second-generation British-Korean diaspora, finds her Korean identity a profound source of inspiration. Living as a third-culture individual, she finds her internal cultural landscape blends British and Korean influences, evoking nostalgia, a longing for home, loneliness, and love for her heritage—all woven into her art. Western techniques, especially Impressionist- inspired brush strokes, help her explore emotions from a Korean perspective. In Korean culture, emotions are often repressed and primarily expressed through the eyes rather than the mouth, which
contrasts with Western norms. This subtle depth of emotional expression is central to her work, blending her dual heritage into a cohesive artistic voice.
Q5. What projects are currently being worked on?
Betty is working on a calendar project with a photographer, aiming to combine their media to capture everyday nuances of British Korean life in London. This experimental project is her first collaborative effort.
Q4. Who are the female artist role models, and why?
Betty finds one of her greatest inspirations in SEO (Seo Soo-Kyoung, b.1977), a contemporary South Korean artist living in Berlin, Germany. SEO has helped Betty Kim embrace her upbringing in the UK and her internal gravitation towards her "motherland." SEO has developed a unique visual language that reflects her reality as a Korean woman living abroad, blending her Western and Eastern influences seamlessly. Her multifaceted practice connects her European and Korean cultures, creating globalized images of the world she perceives. Betty Kim also admires Alice Neel (1900-1984) for her ability to record and encapsulate the lives of people, giving a voice to those who might otherwise remain unseen. Betty Kim finds that Yayoi Kusama (b.1929) profoundly influences her as well, admiring how Kusama courageously embraces her schizophrenia and mental illness, transforming her past traumatic experiences into the iconic dot patterns that define her work. Instead of avoiding her illness, Kusama delves into its heart, using it as a powerful source of creativity and expression.
Past and Present (Past lives), 2024
Printing on wood, 60 x 40 cm
Line of Sight (The Marriage Story), 2024
Printing on wood, 60 x 40 cm
Childish Dreams (Squid Game), 2024
Printing on wood, 60 x 40 cm
The Last Supper (Parasite), 2024
Printing on wood, 60 x 40 cm
Stay (Interstellar), 2024
Printing on wood, 60 x 40 cm
Minari Song (Minari), 2024
Printing on wood, 60 x 40 cm
Pain and suffering profoundly shape our identities, especially during displacement and the journey of self-discovery. We carry our past when we enter new realities, leading to friction and transformation. Letting go of the old to embrace the new - whether in space, time or relationships - is essential for growth. Despite
its challenges, this process is inherently beautiful. As Herman Hesse reflected, “Who would be born must first destroy a world.” Through this series of paintings, Betty captures moments of revelation, like light at dawn, reflecting the beauty and difficulty of rebirth and transformation.